Electric switch for power tools



Oct. 1l, 1932.

W. L. HODEAUX ELECTRIC SWITCH FOR POWER TOOLS Filed Dec. 22, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l 'Oct ll, 1932. w, HODEAUX 1,882,283

ELECTRIC SWITCH FOR FOWER TOOLS Filed Dec. 22, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 D ...i v9 il? 2 Z' /27 9 ff L37 L30 /Z 1"- "'maf 2a KIM I l :a 119ML VV'. L. Haceaux Patented Oct. 11, 1932 UNi'is ELECTRIC swifrcn non POWER 'rooLs Application led December 2Q, 193D. Serial 1\To;"504,125.

This invention relates to an electric switch and more particularly to a switch mounted the handle of a power tool driven by an electric motor.'l One object of the invention is to gj so construct the switch and so mount the same in the handle that the operator or the tool may close the switch by pressing a. thumb of the hand upon a plunger forming part of the switch and projecting from the Agrip oi Y the handle. v f

`Another object of the invention is to provide a switch of such construction that when the plunger is pressed inwardly to close the switch, alatch will be moved to an operative positionby the plunger,'thereby releasably securing the switch in a closed positionand making y it unnecessary for the operator to exert suhcient pressure upon the plunger to retain the switch closed. Another object of the 'invention is to so associate the plunger with a rod forming part ofthe switch that when the operators thumb vis removed from the plunger, theplun ger may move outwardly, thereby permitting the latch to move to a releasing position so that the rod may shift longitudinally to an extended position and open the switch. Y

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a switch which is simple in construction f and very easy to operate, Vand 'further to so construct the switch that it may be very easily mountedin the grip-of the tool handle.

The invention is illustrated in the accom panying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a. sideelevation showing apower tool provided with `a. handle having' the improved switch mounted in itsgi'ip;

2 is an enlarged viewV showing the handle in side elevation; Y Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the handle with the switch in a closed position; Y v

Fig. 4 is aview similar to. 3 showing the switch'open; and

the handle taken along the line 5-`5 oFig. 8. The tool indicated in general byA the numeral (1) representsa power tool whichmay Vbe of ,anydesiredspecii'ic construction and includes a. casing (2) for housing anelelctric.

tool.

Fig. 5 is atransverse sectional viewthrough Wlres (l2) are Secured and 1t' Wm be readlly' Je the motor setin'operation.

motor by means ,of which th-e tool is driven. i A handle is provided at the rear end of the motor housing andincludes arms v(t) and v(5) 4which at their rear ends supporta grip (6) tobe grasped by the operator usingtlie E, ,l'n` order to control'the motor mounted in i the housing (2) therehas been providedza switch mounted in a pocket formed in the Vgrip((i). Therefore the grip not only serves 60 `its usual unctionas a grip but also constitutes aswitch casing. The pocket of the casing or grip is open along one side and this open side lor the pocket is normally closed by a plate (8) which is securely but releasablyfs y held in'place by screws (9). By this.a'rrangef` ment the plate will be securelyh'eldin closingV relation `to theopen side of the pocket '(7) but may be easily removed when necessary. The hand grip 6 `at one end ofthepocket is iti formed with an opening(10) and at its other end the grip or casing'is fori-ned with a passage (11)-throughwhich` power wires '(12) i enter the pocket and witha side opening(13) throughwhich the power wires leave the cas- 7.3 ing. This side'opening communicates with one end of a groove or seati(14) formed in' the inner surface .oi the arm and by re-v ferring to 'F igures 3,- -Land 5V, it will be lseen that the groove (11i) is extendedthrough, the .B0

sleeve V(15) atthe front oit the handle so that the wires may extendlinto Athe motor housing ,Fior connection with a motor intheusualmanner. i l

The switch mechanism` mdunted the Q pocket (f7 of thegripor casing (6), includes a'blccl (16) *formed ofinsulating-material i and firmly butl releasably secured against a 'permanentside lwall ofthe casing by screws (17). Contact strips (18) `which are preferablyiormed of resilient metal are secured against opposite side faces ofthe block (.16)

by terminal screws l(19) to whichthe power understood that`V until Vthe contactsr lare In order'to control the switch, there has been provided a rod (20) which extends 101i-, gitudinally of the pocket with one end por# t-ion slidable through a bore (21) formed longitudinallythrough the block of insulating material (16). rlhis bor-e is enlarged for a' portion .of its length, 'thereby defining la spring se-at or housing (22) in which is^disposed a spring (23). This spring bears against the inner end -of-a'sleeve (24) which fits about the rod (2O) and s'firmly secured in ay set position thereon by a pin` (.25) the inner or projecting endof the sleevebcing provided with an inclined-or rcam surface 24"; as shown. A collar (26) constituting a bridge for the contacts (18) fits aboutk the ysleeve and 'sincethespring normally urgesV the rod towards the position shown-in Figure 4,-the lbridge will be'yieldably'held in th-e position shown in this gure and thecii'cuit willbe broken as the bridge is out of engagefment with the "contacter Bypress'ing the rod longitudinally-to the position Vshownv in Figvure" 3 in opposition to action of the spring 25 I wedging engagement with the opposed con- (23), the collar will be moved into [tight tacts and a very goodfbridging action will take place. Thereforei-current may pass through: the motoras long as the bridge is in engagement with the-free end portions ofthe licon'taetswhich project from-'lone endlof the i vinsulating block.

In order to move the rod from the extendedV K 351er open position shown/in Figure Li to the rethere has been' provided a plunger (27 which is -1 slidably mounted in the opening tracted 'or closed positionlshown in Figure 3,

l f (10) -formed inthe head ofthe :pocket (7) `at one end thereof This plunger,whichis 'order to'slidably receive the outer portion of of" insulating material, is formed hollow in ll'lthe rod (20) andthe outer end of the plunger is closed by Ya plug (28) Vformed with a recess i fie' orseat (29) leadingfromvits inner end andv slidably receiving the outer endof the rod; Since the seat (29) is closed -at its end, inf ward movement of the plunger will cause the i rod to be shiftedV longitudinally toa retracted vplunger relative vto vthev rod andacts as a cushion torelieve'strain whenthe plunger is position and the bridg-e or collar will be, moved into engagement with the free ends of the contacts.,l An abutment (30) isformed yieldably resists inward movement of,V the -press'edfinwardly by the operators thumb.

When thejplunger is pressed inwardly to shift thehro'dlongitudinally to. afiswitcli 'closing .position it is desired to have the rod ,".secured inthe retracted posit-ion. l fjtherefore provided a latch (32:) 'which is'. `-pivotally mounted intermediate Vits endsV in .y thepo'cket (7 )as shown at The handle irrod .longitudinally towards *thev position l:

I Vhave (34) of the latch extends across .a pin (.35) which limits its swinging movement in .one directionas shown yin Figure 3 fand. this handle is provided withV a downwardly inclinedterminal lip 34 normally engaged by a spring (36) which urges the latch towardsthe position shown in'FigureA, but

A willspern'iit such latch to be movedffto the operative position shown in Figurel 3- for engagement with the tapered outer end of the sleeveV (24). The free-'end portion of the handle 'isheld' in engagement',VV with the plunger (27) 'and since the innerend portion (3T) of this plunger Ais tapered it forms a cam which will act upon the handle to swing the latch towards an operativeiposition when the plunger is vpressed inwardly. kDuring use of the tool the operator grasps the grip of the handle with one hand with the thumb of this handresting upon the outer;`

endl of the plunger. lVhen it is desired toistart the motor in ,order to operate the tool, pressure Vis applied to the plunger .in

Vorder to press y the plunger inwardly.' A s the plunger is pressed inwardly, the rod lis l shifted longitudinally towards the :position shown in Figure 3 and lduring inward movement of the. plunger thetaperedinner end thereofvcau'ses the latchto bef'swung 'towards the operative position. By theA time;

ythe plunger has been shiftedinwardlya sufficient distance against the action ofthe spring (.23) to move Vthe collaror vbridge (26) into wedging engagement with the free end portions'of the contacts (18), theibill of the latch willr have. moved into'engagement withthe outer or inclined end ofthe sleeve (24)and since the handle now bearsl against KVoperative engagement lwith the inclined end Lof the sleeve and the rod cannot moveoutwardly towards an onen position. Therefore, it is not necessary for the operator to exert excessive pressure, upon the 4plunger in order v to move the thumb 'outwardly and'thespring (31) will: shift theplungenoutwardly a suliicient distance `to. 'permit` vthe plunger .to return to the position shown'in Figure ,4.

When this takes place the spring (3'6) ;acts Y against ythe handle of thellatch tofmofvethel i `latchtowardsa releasing vor inoperative position and since the outer end of .the sleeve is tapered,'mo`vement of the latch towardsrthe releasing position vwill not bev-interfered` with y'by frictionalengagement between the latch.

and'f'the outer end of the sleeve. As soonfas 'the latch is moved out of engagement with the'o'uter end of the sleeve,the spring'f(23) then expandV and v*shiftf-the :sleeve and -a side ofthe plunger lbeyond the taperedY inner' end thereof, the latch willbe heldinshown in VFigure l. Therefore the collar or bridge will bepmoved out of lengagement with the contacts and the circuit will be broken. Since the spring (23) is -quite strong, movement of the rod towards the opened position will take place very rapidly and arcing will be prevented. Y

What is claimed is: a

l. A switch for power tools comprising contacts insulated from each other, a rod slidable longitudinally between said contacts, a sleeve carriedby the rod, a` collar onthe sleeve adapted to bridge the contacts when the rod is moved to circuit-closing position, means yieldably holding the rod in extended position, an actuating'member for the rodmovabl'e'relative thereto, a cushion betw-een the rod and actuatingmember, and a'spring-pressed latch pivoted intermediate its ends and having one end thereof disposed in the path Vof and adapted to be engaged by said actuating member for moving the other end of the latch in engagement with the sleeve thereby to hold the rod in circuitclosing position when said actuating member is pressed inwardly. Y

2. A switch for power tools comprising contacts insulated from each other, a rod slidable longitudinally between the contacts, a sleeve carried by the rod and having a cam face, a collar adapted to bridge the contacts when the rod is moved to circuit-closing position, means yieldably holding the rod in extended position, an actuating member for the rod movable relative thereto and having a cam face, a cushion between the rod and actuating member, and a springepressed latch pivoted intermediate its ends and having on-e end thereof disposed in the path of and adapted to be engaged by the cam face of said actuating member for moving the other end ofthe latch in engagement with the cam face of the sleeve thereby to hold the rod in circuit-closing position when the actuating member is pressed inwardly.

3. A switch for power tools comprising contacts insulated from each other, arod slidable longitudinally between said contacts,

Y a sleeve carried by the rod and having one end thereof beveled to form a cam face, va

collar on the sleeve adapted to bridge the contacts when the rod is moved to, circuit-l closing position, means yieldablyholding the rodV in extended position, an actuating member for the rod movable relative thereto and having its inner end provided with a cam face, a cushlon between said rod and actuating member, a latch pivoted intermediate its ends and having one end thereof providedwith an inclined lip disposed in the path of and adapted to be engaged by the cam face of the actuating member for moving the other end of the latch in engagement with the sleeve to hold the rod in circuit-closing position` wardly, and means for automatically releas ing the latch when the actuating member is ,moved to extended position.

4:. A switch for power tools'comprising contacts insulated from each other, a rod slidably mounted between said contacts, a sleeve carried by the rod and` provided with a cam face, a collar adapted to bridge theV contacts when the rod is moved to circuitclosing position, means yieldably holding the rod in extended position, an actuating member for thev rod movable relative thereto andv provided with a cam face, acushion between the rod and actuating member, a pivoted latch having one end thereof provided with a bill and its other end formed with a handle,

means for limiting the pivotal movement of the latch, the handle of the latch being disposed in the vpath `of and adapted to be engaged by the cam face of the actuating member for moving the bill of the latch into engagement with the sleeve cam to hold the the block, a sleeve carried by the rod andk provided with aV cam-face, a collar'secured to the sleeve adapted to bridge the contacts when the rod is moved to circuit-closing poandt sition, a spring disposed within the bore and Y bearing against t-he sleeve for holding the rod in extended position, an actuatingmem-- berfor the rod movable relative thereto and provided with a cam face, said actuating member being hollow to permit insertion of the rod, a spring disposed within the actuat ing member and surrounding the rod, a latch pivotally mountedintermediate itsV ends, a transverse pin for limiting the lpivotal movement of the latch,oneend`of the latch being provided with a bill adapted'to engage the camA faceof thefsleeveto hold the rod in circuit-closing position and the other end of the latch beingjprovided with a terminal inclined lip coacting with the cam face of the actuatng member, against the lip ofl the latch for normally holding the bill of said latch out of. engagement with the camfaceof the sleeve..

, In testimony whereof I affix m signature.

WALTERL. HODEAUXS.7 [n s] f when said actuating member is pressed inand a spring bearing` 

